Rethinking distraction

When one's attention is directed away from the task at hand, especially when there is explicit motivation to maintain task engagement, it is tempting to conclude that the person has become distracted, implying a failure of attentional control or a lack of focus. Similarly, when a person fails to process information that they know to monitor for, such as a warning signal or a familiar hazard, it is easy to assume that they must have been distracted by something else, again failing to maintain their focus. Informed by recent findings concerning the control of attention, I argue that such a view of distraction is often misguided. Rather than reflecting a failure of the attention system, what is typically referred to as "distraction" in everyday life can in many instances be described as a predictable feature of a well-functioning attention system. This has implications for the responsibility we ascribe to people for being distracted, and what we try to do to help people cope with so-called distractions. For context, I apply this framework to our understanding of "distracted" driving, "distractions" in the classroom and at work, and inattention to hazards in work environments. Broader theoretical implications concerning the nature of distraction are discussed.